Business
Come on into Africa. The Water is actually Nice.
This is acceptable
Social networks are key and relationships are key anywhere. Not trusting someone is different than not simply liking them – and experience shows that
there’s a measure of personal comfort required in Africa. Because legal frameworks aren’t as solid in Africa in some instances, one does rely on that and so you sometimes rely on social networks in a different way.
This is similar to Asia in fact.
Dennis: What then, in your collective opinion, is the ideal trade and investment partnership between the U.S. and Africa?
Vicky: We must change the paradigm: There’s nowhere else in the world where we say: ‘How do we improve the U.S.- South American relationship; or
the U.S. – European Union partnership; or the U.S. – Asian Relationship. So, the first thing is to change the conversation. I do not even think it is appropriate to say: How do we change the U.S. – Africa pact? But it needs to be really driven; especially from an American perspective, by the U.S. interests. And so, the question is: How do we expand U.S. economic growth through a relationship with strategic African partners? That might be a better question. Everyone is not going to be our partner and so, we need to figure out, strategically, where we are best served because aid, for instance, is cyclical and so, it has to be based on an independent U.S. interest because just aid depends on who is in power. But if it is about U.S. interests, that is always constant.
Dennis: Aron, what would you like to see changed?
Aron: We must figure out what types of specific bilateral agreements are required. There needs to be a recognition that not all African countries are in the same position. A better recognition of tiered benefits would probably be helpful; to support some of the under-performing economies, those that have benefits – not to phase them out but to give an advantage to those still developing or emerging.
Dennis: Are you two suggesting that South Africa receive special treatment or be handled differently when it comes to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) benefits and privileges?
Vicky: I do not think its graduating since South Africa is still a huge part of the African economy and so, if it goes, certainly this will have ripple effects throughout the continent. And so, I do not think it’s appropriate to talk about graduating. Additionally, to go back to how we should think about the U.S. and Africa commercial relationship afresh: We need to look at two levels: Government-to-Government | Business-to-Business. What we’d like to see more – and we see an emerging trend – is the U.S. government involving itself in the commercial interests that are found in Africa.
